PULLMAN, Wash. — Researchers at Washington State University are abuzz over our honeybee population.
According to an entomologist at the university, commercial bee colonies could see a loss of 60 to 70 percent in 2025—that’s up from the average of 40 to 50% annually.
Priya Chakrabarti Basu, an assistant professor of pollinator health and apiculture at WSU, believes a combination of stressors could be causing the declines. Basu points to factors like nutrition deficiencies, mite infestations, viral diseases, and possible pesticide exposure during the previous pollinating season.
“Pollination demands haven’t gone down, Basu said. “So, beekeepers face tremendous pressure to keep the same number of colonies to meet those needs.”
Basu is one of many WSU scientists trying to slow the decline.
Brandon Hopkins, the university’s P.F. Thurber Endowed Distinguished Professor of Pollinator Ecology, says varroa destructor mites often feed on pupae in a hive, in turn lowering the numbers for generations to come. It’s something that could put financial strain on farmers.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), honeybees had a production value of approximately $350 million in 2023. Fewer bees could mean higher costs for farmers.
“The almond industry frequently asks for strong colonies,” Hopkins said. “But this year, growers are desperate. Anything with live bees in a box is in demand because the industry is short on supply. I haven’t heard of that since the early days of colony collapse around 2008.”
The USDA says about 35% of the world’s food depends on pollinators.
Basu and Hopkins say that finding methods to sustainably keep bees alive will be key to keeping the already declining population from diminishing further.
The WSU Bee Program works with beekeepers, stakeholders, industry partners, and collaborating researchers to better understand the impact of stressors on bees and help mitigate them. You can learn more about the program by clicking here.
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